At the Jade Chamber in Liyue.
Keqing stood before Ningguang, one hand covering her mouth, her expression full of shock. She hesitated, clearly wanting to speak but holding herself back.
Ningguang let out a soft sigh.
She could tell at a glance what Keqing was about to say.
"Don't even think about comparing the 'humans' the Cosmic Overmind spoke of… to people like us."
"No, no!" Keqing waved her hands hurriedly, explaining,
"I was just shocked that Lord Aerin and that… gigantic brain… have already reached such a level, and yet they still consider themselves human."
Far away in Sumeru, Skirk stared blankly at Aerin.
She suddenly recalled something Aerin had told her before.
Her eyes widened in shock, and she nearly cursed out loud.
Human…?
Is that Cosmic Overmind joking with us?
What kind of human has a head that needs to be measured in light-years?!
Yet when she saw Aerin glance at her and casually shrug, Skirk helplessly pressed a hand to her forehead.
"So the master actually agrees with that 'cosmic brain's' statement…"
"This is beyond ridiculous."
Aerin withdrew his gaze from Skirk and looked instead at the Valkyries who had rushed over once again.
"You're here again?"
"This time, what are you worried about?"
"Bella? Or my so-called 'only friend'?"
The women shook their heads repeatedly.
Bella may have gained new power, but there was nothing to worry about.
Even if that cosmic entity claimed Aerin couldn't kill her with absolute certainty in a single thought—
Ninety percent? Ninety-nine percent?
Wasn't that practically the same thing?
And if one thought wasn't enough, then two. Or three.
Whether Bella lived or died depended entirely on Aerin's mood.
As for that cosmic existence—
The moment they saw how utterly indifferent Aerin was, their anxiety vanished completely.
What remained was pure admiration, their eyes shining as they stared at him.
"We only just realized how overwhelmingly supreme your power truly is, Master."
Tearing apart the cosmos.
Controlling causality.
Altering concepts themselves.
These were things far beyond their comprehension.
"Now I finally understand how Dottore's segments died," one of them said softly.
"It wasn't because of some complex mechanism… it was simply because Master wanted them to die."
Paimon kicked her legs excitedly in midair.
"That's amazing!"
Aerin shook his head, clearly unconcerned with their reactions.
"Speaking of Dottore…"
"I just remembered I haven't dealt with those two yet."
The women froze.
Only then did they remember—
Dottore and Scaramouche.
Raiden Ei immediately stepped forward and bowed deeply.
"Master, back then Lady Yae repeatedly urged me to deal with Kunikuzushi. I ignored her advice, and because of that, countless innocent people were harmed."
"Please… allow me to dismantle him with my own hands."
Aerin said nothing, instead turning his gaze to Kamisato Ayaka.
"The Kamisato Clan has a blood feud with Scaramouche. Do you want to take part?"
Ayaka froze.
She hadn't expected Aerin to even mention her—
Much less give her the chance to personally take revenge.
Her heart raced violently.
But—
She still lowered her head respectfully.
"Ayaka has no particular wishes. How Master chooses to deal with him… is entirely up to Master."
After hearing both of them, Aerin pondered briefly before deciding:
"Then I'll handle them myself."
Somewhere in a remote, desolate island of Teyvat.
Dottore had just finished enduring a storm of furious accusations from his remaining segments inside his mind.
They cursed him endlessly, blaming him for dragging them into this fate.
Dottore ignored them completely.
The disappearance of the segments meant only one thing—
Aerin had finally begun to act.
"Death draws near… hahaha…"
Dottore laughed madly.
"To think that a being capable of changing the concept of all things with a mere thought… would appear in Teyvat."
He couldn't understand it.
If Aerin truly wanted a world, he could create countless worlds better than Teyvat with a single idea.
Why Teyvat?
Why here?
But when Dottore regained his senses—
He found himself standing on a vast arena.
"This is…?"
Before he could process it, an enraged shout exploded beside him.
"DOTTORE!"
Dottore flinched and looked up.
Standing opposite him was a familiar figure.
"…Scaramouche?"
Before he could ask anything, Aerin's voice echoed from the heavens.
"This is a special space I created."
"You two will slaughter each other here."
"When one of you reaches ten thousand deaths, this space will collapse."
"You control only your consciousness and senses."
"Your bodies will move solely according to the concept of slaughter."
"You cannot control your actions."
Ten thousand deaths.
Dottore's brows furrowed.
In terms of strength, Scaramouche was no match for him.
Even if death meant revival followed by another death, Dottore was confident he could kill Scaramouche ten thousand times first.
Does that mean the survivor goes free? he wondered.
The next words shattered that hope completely.
"When this space collapses, whether alive or dead, both of your bodies will be torn apart."
Back in reality.
Eula, Lumine, and the other Valkyries stared in horror at the crystal sphere in Aerin's hand.
Inside it, two tiny figures were already locked in endless slaughter.
Skirk trembled.
She understood this kind of power.
She often sealed Surtalogi's Star-Devouring Whale into compressed spaces.
But what Aerin had done—
Was create an entire two-person world, solely for punishment.
Forced combat.
Ten thousand deaths.
Then annihilation.
"Place this in Sumeru City," Aerin said calmly.
The crystal sphere expanded in his palm before he handed it to Eula.
"I'll personally arrive in Sumeru tomorrow morning."
Then he glanced at Skirk.
"You go prepare dinner."
"Yes!" Skirk replied immediately.
Aerin twitched slightly at the corner of his mouth.
So overwhelming strength really is the fastest way to earn genuine reverence…
As everyone busied themselves, Raiden Ei stood there, lost and uncertain.
She wanted to be useful too.
After a moment's hesitation, she hurried after Skirk.
Aerin paused.
"Beelzebul. Where are you going?"
Raiden Ei pointed at Skirk and quickly explained,
"Eula and the others went to Sumeru City. As your attendants, Skirk and I should stay with you."
"So… I'll help her cook."
"…You?"
Aerin waved his hand immediately.
"No. Just come here and be my lap pillow."
"Cooking is not for you."
Across Mondstadt, Liyue, Inazuma, and Sumeru—
The emotions of the people rose and fell like a terrifying roller coaster.
People vanished before their eyes.
Others reappeared just as suddenly.
Like a strange, vivid dream.
Yet many who disappeared… never returned.
And strangely—
Those who remained felt a grim sense of satisfaction.
Most of the people who never came back had friends and family who also vanished.
After everything stabilized, the gods of each nation appeared in dreams, telling their people:
This was a trial bestowed by the gods of Celestia.
Those who returned—or never vanished—need not fear.
They were recognized as worthy.
The next morning, countless citizens gathered to kneel and pray toward the heavens.
Aerin, however, remained utterly indifferent.
Late at night, he sat alone atop a massive branch of the great tree in Sumeru, gazing at the sky.
"…Tch."
"So many experiments, and all I could do was help those with strong willpower steadily grow stronger."
"I still couldn't make them awaken."
"That guy was right."
"We became awakeners because we were born with Spiral Power."
"To grant Spiral Power to others… is impossible."
He sighed deeply.
That sigh startled the Great Lord Rukkhadevata, who had just arrived behind him.
She hurried forward anxiously.
"Master, why do you sigh? Did I do something wrong? Or are you dissatisfied with Sumeru's people?"
Aerin replied casually,
"This has nothing to do with you."
"Let it be. Strengthening those with firm will is already my limit."
"Spiral Power… only those born with it can truly evolve."
"Not even conceptual alteration can change that fact."
Rukkhadevata's eyes widened.
This… is considered a failure?
Such power was already an unimaginable blessing.
Seeing his lonely back, she felt a strange ache in her chest.
Trying to comfort him, she smiled.
"Master, you've only tested Mondstadt, Liyue, Inazuma, and Sumeru."
"Perhaps Fontaine, Natlan, or Snezhnaya will have suitable candidates?"
Aerin turned and smiled.
"It's fine."
"This is a minor issue."
"Still… I should visit the remaining nations."
"Especially Fontaine."
"That place gives me a headache."
Fontaine — Palais Mermonia.
Furina froze completely.
Clorinde had just said Fontaine should be fine—
And now Aerin singled it out as troublesome.
"That must be about me…" Furina thought, drenched in sweat.
A fake god.
Five hundred years of deception.
Execution.
The guillotine.
Her imagination spiraled out of control.
"Lady Furina…" Sigewinne said nervously, watching sweat pour down her face.
Clorinde muttered in confusion,
"But… isn't Fontaine doing pretty well?"
"So where's the problem?"
"…That prophecy?"
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